Sunday, November 26, 2017

Author's note: What follows is the complete, un-edited transcript of a live chat I just had with the folks at Alibaba.com, AKA AliExpress. For those unaware, AliExpress is an Asia-based answer to eBay and Amazon.com, all put together. The live chat reproduced here followed my first attempt to make a purchase with them -- as it happens, to buy Christmas presents for some young people who live next door to me here in Cambodia.

Mimie 20:20
Hello David!

Mimie 20:20
How are you today?

Dave O’Gorman 20:21
CHARACTER LIMIT EXCEEDED: MESSAGE NOT SENT

Dave O’Gorman 20:21
CHARACTER LIMIT EXCEEDED: MESSAGE NOT SENT

Dave O’Gorman 20:22
I'm good. This is my first time using Ali Express, and I'm having a problem checking out

Dave O’Gorman 20:22
And I'm having a lot of trouble describing my problem to you right now, also

Dave O’Gorman 20:22
"character limit exceeded: message not sent"

Mimie 20:23
Okay do not worry let me help you.

Mimie 20:23
Can I have a screen shot please?

Dave O’Gorman 20:23
I'll try. But the problem is easy to describe:

Dave O’Gorman 20:23
When I try to check out, I get the "for security reasons we cannot continue" page

Mimie 20:24
Is that for appeal?

Dave O’Gorman 20:24
CHARACTER LIMIT EXCEEDED: MESSAGE NOT SENT

Dave O’Gorman 20:24
Yes, but then when I click the "appeal," my browser says "error: too many redirects"

Dave O’Gorman 20:24
So at the moment I can't check out at all.

Mimie 20:25
Can I have a screen shot of the "error: too many redirects" ?

Mimie 20:25
So that I can determine what happen.

Dave O’Gorman 20:25
I just tried, and accidentally closed the tab -- and now the whole thing is lost.

Dave O’Gorman 20:25
Stand by

Mimie 20:26
Sure dear thank you so much!

Mimie 20:26
I will do all the possible way to help you.

Dave O’Gorman 20:26
Can you stay with me while I refill my cart? It only had two items in it.

Mimie 20:27
Sure dear I will.

Mimie 20:27
Just do not forget to chat me every 2 minutes dear to avoid disconnection.

Mimie 20:27
[ww:玫瑰]

Dave O’Gorman 20:27
Okay, stand by -- I've got one of them in there.

Mimie 20:28
Take your time David/

Dave O’Gorman 20:28
CHARACTER LIMIT EXCEEDED: MESSAGE NOT SENT

Dave O’Gorman 20:29
I had expected that the cart would remain full because I had other Ali Express tabs open at the same time, but alas -- no

Mimie 20:29
So your cart is empty?

Dave O’Gorman 20:30
I've refilled it now. But I see now that I lost my $4 first-time user coupon. :/

Mimie 20:30
Okay I see. The problem here is the coupon.

Mimie 20:31
Do you still have the order number?

Mimie 20:31
Do you still have the order number?

Mimie 20:31
Okay I see. The problem here is the coupon.

Dave O’Gorman 20:31
I'm filling in my credit card information now....

Mimie 20:32
Okay dear go on.

Dave O’Gorman 20:32
CHARACTER LIMIT EXCEEDED: MESSAGE NOT SENT

Dave O’Gorman 20:32
Okay, I've made it as far as the "for security reasons, we cannot continue" page, and I'm ready to click "My Appeal"

Mimie 20:32
Thankyou dear

Mimie 20:32
To avoid this to happening again I suggest that you under go appeal dear. So that our system can verify your payment method. This process only happen once dear.

Dave O’Gorman 20:34
Okay, for some reason I did not get the too many redirects error this time.

Dave O’Gorman 20:34
But I have a new question.

Dave O’Gorman 20:34
Do I have to submit all of this stuff, or just one of them?

Mimie 20:35
I will give you some tips

Dave O’Gorman 20:35
Okay

Mimie 20:35
On the picture of ID, the name should be shown. On the picture of cards and bank statement, the following information should be shown: bank logo, bank name, (the first six and last four card number). On the bank statement, it is advisable to show the statement of your "payment only on AliExpress"

Dave O’Gorman 21:11
I applied the coupon on the first attempt to place the order this evening

Dave O’Gorman 21:11
The first one that the payment was disallowed for security reasons

Macy 21:11
Okay dear I understand

Dave O’Gorman 21:11
The one that crashed my browser when I clicked My Appeal

Dave O’Gorman 21:12
CHARACTER LIMIT EXCEEDED: MESSAGE NOT SENT

Dave O’Gorman 21:12
And then, when I had to start over because my browser had crashed, the coupon didn't appear at the bottom of the checkout page

Macy 21:12
Yes I understand you can get the new user coupon so that you can use the coupon again

Dave O’Gorman 21:13
Okay, how do I proceed

Macy 21:13
Okay dear please wait will send to you

Dave O’Gorman 21:14
okay

Macy 21:14
PLease hold on dear

Dave O’Gorman 21:14
Okay

Macy 21:15
Thank you dear

Dave O’Gorman 21:16
standing by

Dave O’Gorman 21:16
(no hurry -- I just don't want to get disconnected)

Macy 21:16
yes dear

Macy 21:16
https://sale.aliexpress.com/__pc/(redacted)

Macy 21:16
Go to this link dear

Dave O’Gorman 21:17
Okay, but the problem is that the order is already pending

Dave O’Gorman 21:17
Can I use that link for a subsequent order?

Dave O’Gorman 21:17
Or would I have to start over again?

Dave O’Gorman 21:17
With this order?

Macy 21:18
You may cancel the pending and place it again so that your order will be proceed

Dave O’Gorman 21:18
Okay -- I guess that's the best we can do.

Macy 21:18
Yes Thank you for understanding

Dave O’Gorman 21:18
CHARACTER LIMIT EXCEEDED: MESSAGE NOT SENT

Dave O’Gorman 21:18
May I ask how common it is to be required to take photographs of one's passport and credit card and bank statement?

Dave O’Gorman 21:19
I feel as though I've been pretty significantly inconvenienced by this. Which isn't your fault, but that's how I feel.

Dave O’Gorman 21:19
And the appeal page says it could take three business days, which means delayed shipping

Macy 21:19
Is that on your appeal dear ?

Dave O’Gorman 21:19
Yes

Dave O’Gorman 21:20
Would you like to see a screen capture?

Macy 21:20
Yes please

Dave O’Gorman 21:20
Okay, stand by

Macy 21:21
Okay dear :)

Macy 21:21
I'll wait for you
Dave O’Gorman 21:21

Dave O’Gorman 21:22
Oh, and I see there's an oder number at the top -- can we apply the $4 discount if we know the order number? :-)

Macy 21:23
No dear there's no option for that

Dave O’Gorman 21:23
Okay

Dave O’Gorman 21:23
But you can see the screen capture, yes?

Macy 21:23
Yes i see it

Macy 21:23
And to clarify is about to your appeal ? right ?

Dave O’Gorman 21:24
Yes, although I still don't understand the company's use of the word "appeal" in this context

Dave O’Gorman 21:25
I'm being disallowed from using my credit card to buy things on the company's website.

Macy 21:25
Okay

Macy 21:25
For further explanation and resolution regarding on your concern, I need to to connect you to our Financial Department as they have the right tools and expertise on handling payments and refunds issue on the site.
Our service consultant is now with you.

Dave O’Gorman 21:25
There’s no real point in doing that, I don’t think.

Freya 21:25
Hello,I am a service consultant Freya

Freya 21:26
Hi! You have been transferred to Payment and Refund Department. My name is Freya .

Dave O’Gorman 21:26
Okay, hello.

Freya 21:26
Hi there dear customer!

Dave O’Gorman 21:26
Thanks. I'm not sure you can help me, really

Dave O’Gorman 21:26
I think I was transfered to you by reflex

Freya 21:27
Don't worry, I will do what I can to help you with this matter today!

Freya 21:27
Your problem is regarding appeal, correct?

Dave O’Gorman 21:27
I'm a first time user of AliExpress, and I can't get the company to accept a payment

Dave O’Gorman 21:27
I don't understand the company's use of the word "appeal" in this context -- makes me seem the party in the wrong

Freya 21:27
Okay I understand.

Dave O’Gorman 21:28
I would like to be able to complete my checkout, but if I can't it's not the end of my world. :-)

Freya 21:28
This error means that the system was not able to verify the payment you are making.

Dave O’Gorman 21:29
Yes

Freya 21:29
Have you already tried submitting the appeal, so the system can verify the card you are using so can pay your orders successfully once verified.

Dave O’Gorman 21:29
No -- this all just happened.

Dave O’Gorman 21:29
This is why I said that I didn't think you could help me.

Freya 21:29
If system detects that there may be any kind of risk during the transaction, you will not be able to pay the order to ensure the safety of your money.

Freya 21:29
In this kind of scenarios, the best option will be submitting an appeal, so you won’t have this inconvenience again.

Dave O’Gorman 21:30
There's something you should know, I think.

Freya 21:30
May I know what is it?

Dave O’Gorman 21:30
CHARACTER LIMIT EXCEEDED: MESSAGE NOT SENT

Dave O’Gorman 21:30
The first time I tried to checkout, the payment was disallowed "for security reasons," and I clicked My Appeal